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PRIDE: Dogmas and prejudices – A survey by Pulzus

June is a celebration of Pride: the movement for the self-respect, dignity and equality for the LGBTQ+ community around the world. On this occasion, we will use thematic questionnaires to assess the opinions of our users in the Pulzus application, and we will analyze the collected data in a series of articles published on our website on a weekly basis.

Info corner: What does LGBTQ+ stand for?

Each summer, in most major cities, members and organizations of the LGBTQ+ community hold peaceful marches and conferences in which anyone can participate and express their support. Like all movements for equal opportunities, sexual and gender minorities believe that the expansion of social acceptance does not take away, but adds to the free, peaceful coexistence of people.But what exactly does this acronym mean?

L = Lesbian = homosexual women
G = Gay = homosexual men (lately also used for women)
B = Bisexual = attracted to both the same and the opposite sex
T = Transgender = identifies other than their sex/gender assigned at birth
Q = Queer = group undefined by traditional sexuality and gender identity
+ = any other group rejecting to be defined by traditional gender and/or sexual identities: non-binary, transvestite, asexual, pansexual, intersex, etc. With the help of the plus sign, they tried to avoid the abbreviation becoming too lengthy, but still covering all the groups involved.

 

What do we know about sexuality?

Although it is often mistakenly identified as the means for procreation, human sexuality includes biological, erotic, physical, social feelings and behaviors, all forms of experiencing and expressing the human sexual response cycle. The attitude of humanity has changed a great deal throughout history, and some tendencies of the past have come back as prejudices in the opinions of people today. Let’s look at some examples (non-exhaustive list):

  • Sexual diversity was a fully accepted part of the Ancient, natural way of life, just think of poets on the island of Lesvos, the army of Alexander The Great, or the frescoes of Pompeii.
  • With the rise of the normative religions of the Middle Ages (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism), the human body was branded as a source of shame, and lovemaking for the sake of pleasure as a sin. Thus, in the space of a few decades, physicality has become a social taboo, and those who turned out to defy the norm have been excluded at best and executed as heretics at worst.
  • In the modern age, the renaissance of ancient natural philosophies began, but people did not return to complete free thinking. Instead, more normative versions of science have come into the public consciousness, calling any kind of sexuality other than heterosexuality unnatural. The presumption that, by the law of nature, the sexual act is supposed to be aimed at procreation has since been refuted on several points, as homo- and pansexual examples have been found in the animal kingdom in several species.

What do we know about gender identity?

To understand this issue, we must first separate two things: the concepts of sex and gender. Sex is a biological, innate, binary bodily attribute of humans, which can be associated with reproductive roles. Gender, on the other hand, is the set of roles with which individuals most identify with according to their own perception.

  • In the case of gender, two identity groups can be separated:
  • Cisgender: the umbrella term for those who identify with their innate sex and gender acquired at birth. Normative views consider them “normal”.
  • Any other group whose members do not identify with their natural gender (e.g. non-binary, transgender) is pushed to the periphery of society by normative views, not considered as equal.

The notions above still live in people’s minds as dogmas and influence public opinion at every turn, often subconsciously. To better understand who thinks what and why, we need to be aware of these tendencies, and becoming aware of our personal prejudices can be the key to moving forward. In a 2014 speech to the United Nations, Emma Watson said, “it’s time to look at gender not as a set of two opposite ideals, but as a spectrum.”

Weekly public opinion poll

In the Pulzus app this week, we asked our users the following questions:

  • Do you know any people affected by the LGBTQ+ cause?
  • Do you think homosexuality is a healthy, natural quality of a person, or do you think it unnatural?
  • In your opinion, what is the extent of discrimination against gay people in Hungary?

Comparing the answers to the first two questions, respondents who know a person affected are 7%. more likely to think that homosexuality is a natural attribute of humans than those who do not know a single person concerned. Out of those who know more than one person affected, 30%. higher rate thinks homosexuality is a natural trait.

It can therefore be concluded that those who do not see living, breathing humans behind the LGBTQ+ cause rely more on normative thinking than those who know just one person involved.

The detailed results of the survey conducted in the application can be viewed in the diagrams below.

Do you know any people affected by the LGBTQ+ cause?

Do you think homosexuality is a healthy, natural quality of a person, or do you think it unnatural?

In your opinion, what is the extent of discrimination against gay people in Hungary?

Next week we will provide more thematic questions and analysis. Join us to find out more about the topic!

Download the Pulzus application, take part in our surveys, and we will reward you for it! For your answers, you get Pulzus points you can exchange for valuable prizes.

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